We have talked with Martin Martinez mastermind of XIPE TOTEC, YATROGENY and ECLECTIC SPAWN.Both bands are Mexican and formed in early 1996 and 2000. Xipe Totec's first album
“Prehispanic Beg” was released through Toaj Records in 1998 and contains ten
powerful tracks that vary in sound, but are highly rooted in the Death metal
genre. Xipe Totec was primarily thought to act as a self-conscious being, which
main goal would be to emphasize the roots of Mexican people. The daily life of
Aztec people offered us a vast amount of information that we could transform
into song lyrics: The violently conquered Aztec people; the loss of their
ancient language; the ancient Mesoamerican history, their cosmological visions,
religion and human sacrifices. All of which fits perfectly within the death
metal genre.Xipe Totec is considered to be a pioneering band in
what today is known as “pre-Hispanic metal”. After several live shows in
Mexico, the band split up in 2001 due to internal problems.After thirteen years of their debut, the band
reunites again to record a new album. “Eztlacuani” (blood thirsty), released by
Ablaze records, was a great success.The
latest album titled “In Moyocoyani”, the title makes allusion to the god
Ometeolt, also known as Tezcatlipoca. The sound on this album has matured
considerably. Once again, lyrics written in ancient Aztec language can be found
here, as well as pre-Hispanic instrumentation in all songs.

4. Do you think that English is the universal language now? Well, with the English you can open many ways for your band easily, but for example, in XIPE TOTEC our songs are in classic nahuatl ( the old language talked by the mexicas before of the arrival of the Spanish) and, here, in Mexico and Latinoamerica many headbangers like it. Recalls the nostalgia of their own roots.

In Moyocoyani preview from youtube

5. What are the reasons by which you decide to give your band the name "XIPE TOTEC"? XIPE TOTEC mean: “Our Lord the Flayed”; many bands of Death Metal talking about blood, torture, death, all that paraphernalia, would be imperative remember the ancient cultures in all the world, since the beginning of history blood has been spilled in different ways, wars, ceremonies, so on… In the Ancient Mexico the sacrifices, the rituals, were real and apart from teaching culture is perfect to Death Metal that lyrics. When I learned that in honour a XIPE TOTEC, I was 16 years old. The aztecs taking a cautive, at the top of the pyramid the priest took out his heart in prayer to the god XIPE TOTEC, was subsequently beheaded for your skin and skin after the priest wore his skin, danced with your skin for days until it was in a state of putrefaction sometimes , and the people ate their meat, this flesh “of the god” represented the cult, the god of spring sacrifice demanded, to renew and revive the life…

6. Your third album titled "In Moyocoyani" will be promoted in international media, what are your expectations?Stay positive, hopefully people like it, in XIPE TOTEC effort to try something new, that no one has heard before, a sound "muddy, swampy, old" with lyrics in Nahuatl, hope pleases people around world

7. How did you decide to sign the digital record deal with Mirko DeFox's INVINCIBLE RECORDS in Europe? jaja, I friend of mine and my guitar student, Edmundo of EISEN DRAGON told me about DEFOX RECORDS.

8. To promote the record are you planning a live tour? No for the moment by other personal activities

9. Have you played in some important festivals? No

10. I would like to have your own point of view about the poor sales of the CD's, it's caused by the internet? technological development?or it's changed the mentality of the fans? Yeah, is caused by the internet, Mexico for example isa place where piracy abounds, people free download, is bad to the music, to the company, for us.

11. You're certainly not a international mainstream band, how do you judge the underground music scene? I like to be elitist, not make music for the masses, but for those who really like, business is not always good, being underground is also some pride, but in DEFOX RECORDS I think is good to make way for real metalheads worldwide

12. Tell us a few funny anecdotes, in the past? Well, there are many bands called XIPE TOTEC and sometimes people confuse us, but we have not had that problem; in another interview local somebody called ud “metal for intellectual” in the case of ECLECTIC SPAWN, people are surprised to see that in XIPE TOTEC just we are 2 members… much noise, many instruments to 2 mad guys. Jaja,